§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether ho can state the number of Catholics and non-Catholics, respectively, appointed to professorships, assistant or deputy professorships, public readerships, prelector-ships, lectureships, assistant lectureships, provostships, vice provostships, and senior fellowships, in Trinity College, Dublin, since the passing of the Act of 1873 to abolish tests in that institution. I beg 666 also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state what professorships in Trinity College, Dublin, are endowed from the Erasmus Smith estates; whether, as the Trinity College Tests Act of 1873 applied to these professorships, he can state if religious tests are still in effect applied in such appointments; whether the governors of the Erasmus Smith schools, in administering the trust to propagate the Protestant faith and frustrate the Popish schools, control the appointments to these professorships; whether the Erasmus Smith scholarships and exhibitions are reserved to Protestants, and preference given by statute to such scholars and exhibitioners in appointments to Erasmus Smith professorships; and what is the annual value of such professorships, and how many are held by Cathelics.
§ MR. CHERRYThe Irish Government have no information in their possession which would enable them to give the particulars asked for in these two Questions. All matters relating to Trinity College will come before the Commission which is to be appointed, and it does not appear to be necessary to anticipate the proceedings of the Commission by seeking to obtain information upon the points raised.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLCannot the right hon. Gentleman say from his own knowledge if it is not the fact there are only three Catholic Fellows?
MR. CHEREYI am aware of it. But the hon. Member is aware that Fellows are appointed by examination.